New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-25
THE WONDERFUL VOLUNTEER.
NEVER SAW THE LIKE
OF HER.
A PERFORMANCE THAT CAUSED OLD SALTS TO HOLD
THEIR RRHATH.

A PERFORMANCE THAT CAUSED OLD SALTS TO HOLD
THEIR BREATH.
Boston. July "a tspeciab. was expected Saturday
evening that the Volunteer and the sloop Priscilla
would have . brush In the morning In tho
bay, but the Priscilla left the harbor at b:4o
bound for New-London, while tho Volunteer, with
lib and staysai set and mainsal up lay st anchor In
other words the NewYork sloop ran away from her
new Yankee competitor decided that she preferred
good handicap allowance rather than to start prov
and PROV together in the hour 1t had beer the
intention on the night before that both yachts should
start at O'Clock Sunday morning. the Priscilla
being bound for NewLondon round the Cape ana thar
they ahoud tack together across the bay. But ap
parently that not In Commodore Csnheds calcuia
tions Captain Haf was watching his competitor anu
a. soon 10 her anchor was tripped he went ashore
for General Paine. NJ Burgess and the friends
who accompanied them. The Priscilla went out under
b and fore staysas hosting her mansail after round
ing Point Neck With the best possible dispatch inc
Volunteer was obliged to give her An hour ana
finally got away at 20 minutes Of
On rounding Point Rock the Priscilla was showing her
heels in tho ofHng at least six miles away.
Both yachts were closely jamu.ed on the wind The
Volunteer set gan topsa after rounding the neck
she lay up splenddIy and forereached wonderfully
II ANYTHING she . point or two closer
in the wind than the Priscilla. although with
both yachts standing broad of from the neck this
could not bo determined with absolute accuracy.
s''~>-
yachting breeze although variable. showers being
frequent and weather moderate and breezy by turns
Both sloops held the same tack until out or
sight from the land and well into the bay. Ihe
Volunteer gained percoptbly on the Priscilla ana
sho we'd fine windward work She Is sitter than either
the NARROWER or Puritan and 1t is believed will lie closer
to the water than either OF them The yachts were lost
In heavy shower OF rain which swept seward
AT sea heavy swell rolling shorewsrd. giving
booming surf along the entire coast line. Alta few
minutes past the topsail OF the volunteer was ae
scried, and good view OF her was
obtained under the glasses- ca she came WIN
wonderful speed under mansa, topsail forcsail 1ib
and ub topsai bowling along at good twelve-snot gait
before excellent breeze black sloop was standing
for her on the wind, and the two yachts rapidly APP
preached each other II hoped that there might be
brush but the soop crossed the stern ana heia
her course The white sloop kept OF occasionally haul
ing 10 trno TO allow her head sails 10 draw better
Tho b was noticed TO SGT poorly basging In the stay
and all the canvas evidently needed stretching The Vol
unteer went out with her No jb set but set her No.
jb when outside before returning When within mile
OF Half way Rock the ib topss was taken In Mt $40
and the soop OF for the rock In minutes se
stood for the neck At s27 the sheets ned AFT
aud she tackled. coming In stays win marvellous ceiery
Of Inc wind and she reached beautifully fairly nyiug
through the water, yet leaving no wake Ihe winawaru
Al haifpast she was again stays working readily
A. before and pointed foe Nahan Ten minutes later
she was once again up In the wisd aud her sheets
were trimmed She filled away again. The gan tapsaii
was slack and apparently doing little good Az quar-
ter started moro AMI more and snn
was travelling wonderful Three minutes later
she tackled again. working In stays In so Few seconds
as to cause the old salts TO gaze upon ner VITA
breathless asonishment There were various records
given by the watches but none gave tho time as nl
minute The sloop not laid as closely 10 the "ind
this time but payed on niue. HUE No NO
10 head the Volunteer on but was left behind
steam yacht The soop's skipper was giving her
good ran mi" sails with all the iOtcr OF the
wind full upon them bs showed TO leeward and the
great mainsal was full with the boom In board. The
Volunteer was stretching OF into the open at the TOP OF
her speed SO she went dwinding until hut white
speck on the ocean. going at good pun;
Al two minutes past she was hauled up on the wlni
and came ia stays This time a good Marblehead
citizen was ready TO make oath to u that she
was on the other tack In just Hrro seconds
Al all vents the soop round thong impeed by
magic she kept toward Nshant, aud ut nve minutes
past came round square before tho wind IN eight
minutes she luhed little TO cross tho BOW
of tho perseverng Ocean Gem, which had tried
in vain TO catch her Then the Gem started toward 0s
ton and the Voun eased of Attweuty minutes past
her skipper gave sheet and the sloop was squared
away for Marblehead Rock. She came In faster tnan
before running with great speed. yet leaving
scarce a ripple behind her. although tho foam
rolled away from the prov. At half pact the gan
op.ail was takon In and at 4:3s the volunteer passed
Marblehead Rock afordng OF the pretes pictures
ever seen from the neck.